Members of the Matches and Something With Numbers Create New Band

Shawn Harris, Formerly of California band The Matches, met Jake Grigg of Sydney’s Something With Numbers have formed a new band called Maniac. The two met when their respective bands toured Australia together in 2005.

The duo collaborated via Internet connections and Skype between scattered rendezvous.  Following the final two farewell shows The Matches performed in  California in the fall of 2009, Shawn departed for Australia to spend all of his time writing and performing with Jake where the new band was formed.

The band has already released their debut EP, Shawn and Jake Present: Maniac-Extended Play, on vinyl and digitally, and are now working with Matt Rodesvich (former producer for The Matches) in Losa Angeles to work add extra production to the EP and put the finishing touches on what what will be the debut LP (to be released in early 2011). They have pressed 500 limited edition vinyl of Extended Play, and are selling it themselves, using the money to get to America to tour.

The band has signed with new independent label, Stop/Start for Australia and New Zealand, and decided to release their music independently via iTunes and other digital options in the rest of the world. Links to buy the band’s music are below.

You can currently hear the songs by watching a series of music videos for the four tracks here.

The vinyl EP is currently available at the Maniac Mania store

Links to get the digital version of “Extended Play” on iTunes:

United States
Australia
United Kingdom
Japan